Federer to lead in Davis Cup play-offs

Roger Federer will play for Switzerland in the Davis Cup playoffs. The top-ranked Federer, who won his 12th Grand Slam title Sunday at the US Open...

Roger Federer will play for Switzerland in the Davis Cup playoffs. The top-ranked Federer, who won his 12th Grand Slam title Sunday at the US Open, will lead his country against the Czech Republic from September 21-23 on indoor carpet in Prague, the International Tennis Federation announced Tuesday.

In the Davis Cup semi-finals, the United States visit Sweden and defending champion Russia host Germany.

Federer ruled himself out of previous Davis Cup matches this year so he could concentrate on keeping his No. 1 ranking. He won three major titles this year — the third time he has done that – and reached the French Open final for the second straight year.

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Novak Djokovic, who lost to Federer in straight sets in the final at Flushing Meadows, is also playing when Serbia hosts Australia in a playoff.

The winners of the eight playoffs will play in next year’s World Group along with the four semifinalists and the four losing quarter finalists.

Federer will be joined by Stanislas Wawrinka, Michael Lammer and Yves Allegro against the Czech Republic’s Tomas Berdych, Radek Stepanek, Lukas Dlouhy and Martin Damm.

Djokovic will team with Janko Tipsarevic, Viktor Troicki and Nenad Zimonjic on indoor clay in Belgrade against former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, Chris Guccione, Peter Luczak and Paul Hanley.

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In Sweden, Andy Roddick and James Blake will team with top-ranked doubles pair Bob and Mike Bryan on indoor carpet in Goteborg. Thomas Johansson, the 2002 Australian Open champion, will be joined by Jonas Bjorkman, Joachim Johansson and Simon Aspelin.

Russia, which beat Argentina to win the 2006 title, will be led by fourth-ranked Nikolay Davydenko when it faces Germany on clay in Moscow.

Davydenko, who lost to Federer last week in the US Open semi-finals, will be joined by Mikhail Youzhny, Dmitry Tursunov and Igor Andreev. Germany will use Tommy Haas, Philipp Kohlschreiber,

Alexander Waske and Philipp Petzschner.

Tim Henman, a four-time Wimbledon semifinalist, is expected to play his last match when Britain faces Croatia in a World Group playoff at Wimbledon.

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Sidelined by knee and back problems, Henman said last month he would retire after the best-of-five series at the All England Club.

Andy Murray, Jamie Murray and Jamie Baker will also play for Britain against Croatia’s Ivan Ljubicic, Marin Cilic, Roko Karanusic and Lovro Zovko.

Ivo Karlovic, one of Croatia’s best players, pulled out of because of a dispute with the coach.